Examples of Divorce Interrogatories and Questions

Divorce can be a very emotionally and financially draining process for anyone who is unfortunate enough to have to go through it. One of the most intimidating parts of any divorce procedure is the actual court appearances that go along with a contested divorce. Having to answer questions about your marriage under oath in writing, to be read later by or in front of strangers is enough to make almost anyone want to run and hide. The divorce interrogatories process is one of the initial phases of the divorce court proceedings, and this is where you will be asked to answer these questions for the court to consider. Understanding the type and nature of questions that you will have to answer can make the proceedings less stressful.

Examples of Interrogatory Questions

Interrogatory questions typically deal with the idea of discovering assets, announcing intentions, and providing other information that may be necessary for both parties in the divorce to fully understand what the other is intending and how things may play out. As such, many interrogatory questions are geared towards dealing with the facts about the individuals who are getting divorced. Common questions might include

“What is your present address, and who else lives at this address,” or

“What is your highest level of education, how long has it been since you attained this level of education, and do you have any special certifications or other important educational background?”

Other common interrogatory questions are designed to bring up any income or assets that you may have. They may include questions about recent or past employment history, or they may ask you to specifically list any and all assets and their value so that a better idea can be had of who owns what, and what it is worth when it comes time to divide the marital property.

Questions may also arise about non work sources of income, such as social security payments, alimony or child support from a previous marriage, or side income. All of these types of questions are designed to provide a full picture of what each side possesses with regards to assets and income.

One final set of interrogatory questions that are commonly asked are about debts and personal obligations that each party may have. You may be asked to list anyone to whom you owe money, including credit cards, corporations, or individuals. You may also be asked to list anything that you have sold or contracted to sell prior to the divorce proceedings or across a recent period of time.

Getting Help

The answers you give to divorce interrogatories can greatly affect your divorce settlement, so you'll want to make sure you answer them properly. Getting a divorce lawyer to help you is strongly advised in order to ensure your legal rights are protected.